Author's POV:
It's been two years since Theera started working as an assistant professor at one of the reputed colleges in Mangalore. She is happy with her life. Tomorrow is her father and mother's 30th wedding anniversary. On top of that, her father got a promotion. So, she is planning a small party with their close ones.
Theera came back from her work and saw her grandmother reciting the Ramayana. Theera smiled at her grandmother and moved to her room to freshen up. By the time she came out, Sakuntala had prepared coffee for her.
"Thank you, Nanamma," Theera said, kissing her grandmother's cheek.
"How is your day?" Sakuntala asked her.
"Good and tiring," Theera said as she sipped her coffee.
"By the way, where are Amma and Nanna?" Theera asked Sakuntala.
"They went to the temple," said Sakuntala.
"Why didn't you go then?" Theera asked, narrowing her eyes at her grandmother.
Sakuntala gave her a nervous smile and said, "You will be alone, right?"
"Nanamma," Theera said sternly.
"They went to attend a function. It was my cousin's grandson's engagement," said Sakuntala.
"But why didn't you go to attend it?" Theera asked her.
"Her husband never liked me or your grandfather. So, we used to avoid attending any functions at their home. But my cousin (Radhika) is completely opposite to her husband. She loves me a lot and used to respect your grandfather. It was their first daughter's wedding. Your grandfather didn't want to attend, as my brother-in-law always insults us. But Radhika pleaded with us to attend, as it was the wedding of their first daughter. Even her daughter (Anupama) pleaded with us to attend her wedding. So, four of us went to attend the wedding. When your parents went to bless Anupama, my brother-in-law wouldn't allow them, saying that they didn't have kids even after four years of marriage. Your mother was badly broken after hearing this, but Anupama scolded her father and took your parents' blessing. On that day, my brother-in-law went a step ahead and insulted your grandfather badly and talked very cheaply about him. He didn't even leave his own wife. He said that my husband and Radhika were having an affair, and that's why she invited him to the wedding. He even questioned her about whether her children's father was him or my husband. I slapped that man hard and dragged my family from there. Radhika was devastated after being falsely accused by her husband for no fault of hers. She decided to walk away from him with her children, but it was not that easy. Her family and mine faced a lot of humiliation because of that man. Anupama's marriage was called off. Your grandfather had a major heart attack and was paralysed. Slowly, we were coping with the situation. After a few months, we learned that he had numerous extramarital affairs. Anupama and her brothers filed a case against her father, and he shamelessly admitted that he never loved my cousin or his children. He said that they were nothing but a burden to him. He also said that he was jealous of your grandfather, as he was respected by many people for his humility and helping nature. The court handed over 70% of his properties to Radhika and imprisoned him for 5 years. It was difficult to prove him guilty, but at last, she won the case. After that, she moved to another city with her children," Sakuntala said, thinking about her cousin.
"But why didn't you go?" Theera asked her grandmother.
"I don't know, Theera. I'm not interested in facing his family after everything," said Sakuntala.
"His family?" Theera asked, confused.
"Yeah! They are still in touch with Radhika's in-laws' family. And whenever I face them, it reminds me of that day. I do go and visit them, but I stopped attending any functions in their family," said Sakuntala.
Theera didn't question her further. Both of them sat there talking. After that, they cooked dinner together and had fun while eating. Theera was sleeping by placing her head on Sakuntala's lap while Sakuntala was caressing her hair. After some time, both of them drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, Theera did yoga for half an hour and came to the living room. She saw her father having his morning coffee while reading the newspaper.
She went and sat beside him and said, "Good morning, Nanna. When did you guys come?"
"Good morning, Kanna. We came around 1 o'clock," said Subramanyam.
"Did you take spare keys with you?" Asked Theera.
"Your father is forgetting many things nowadays. He forgot his mobile at home along with spare keys," Vineetha said, coming out of the kitchen.
"Then who opened the door," Theera asked her mother.
"Your grandmother. Thank God, I took my mobile; otherwise, we would have spent the entire night in the corridor killing mosquitoes," Vineetha said, glaring at her husband while he gave her a sheepish smile.
"Go and freshen up. We have to talk about something with you," said Sakuntala.
Theera nodded her head and moved to her room. After some time, she came out and saw her mother placing dishes on the dining table. She helped her mother, and the four of them sat down to have their breakfast.
Vineetha looked at Subramanyam and then at Sakuntala, who blinked their eyes in assurance.
Theera looked at them and asked, "Is everything okay?"
"I won't play around the bush, Theera. We got a proposal for you a few days ago. You know, Yamuna aunty, right?" said Vineetha.
"Isn't she Nanna's colleague in Visakhapatnam?" Said Theera.
"Yes! She and her mother-in-law came to meet us two days ago. They asked for your hand for their son, Arnav. He is an airline captain. Yamuna has divorced her husband and is staying with her mother-in-law. Arnav is a good man. I've known him for the past ten years, Theera," said Subramanyam.
"Just meet him once, Kanna. Trust me, you will not regret meeting him. But remember, your family is with you, and the final decision will be yours," said Vineetha.
Theera looked at Sakuntala, making everyone chuckle. Theera pouted and flared her nose angrily.
"Go and meet him once. I know, we can't decide about a person in one meeting. But who knows what destiny has stored for you?" Said Sakuntala.
Theera nodded her head, making everyone squeal.
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After a few days,
Theera was sitting in a cafe, biting her nails nervously. She got ready in a simple saree and paired it with simple studs and a thin chain. Arnav, who entered the cafe, moved towards Theera. He was mesmerised by her simple look.
"Hey, Theera!" Arnav said, grabbing Theera's attention, who was lost in her thoughts.
"Hi, Arnav!" Theera said, getting up from her seat.
"Shall we go to the beach? We can talk while walking on the shore," said Arnav.
"Sure," said Theera.
Both of them grabbed milkshakes with them, before leaving for the beach.
"So, Theera, tell me about yourself," said Arnav.
"Before I say anything, I want to tell you something, Arnav. I was in a relationship that was nothing but a nightmare for me." With that, she told him everything about Anikeeth.
"My mom divorced my father when she found out about his adultery. I was just 10 years old then. As a kid, I saw my parents fighting every day. Most of the time, I used to spend most of my time with my grandparents. After some time, they parted ways. My maternal grandparents refused to accept my mother and me. But my paternal grandparents stood with my mother and me. They supported us when there was no one to stand by our side. A few years ago, we lost my grandfather. It was difficult for us to cope with his loss as he was our strong support," said Arnav.
"You miss him, don't you?" Theera asked Arnav.
"He was my hero, Theera. I never had a good bond with my father. It was always my grandfather. He worked hard to provide a good future for his son. When my father betrayed my mother, my thatha was shattered. I saw the disappointment in his eyes. When my parents were divorced, my father just walked out of the house without looking back. He forgot about his parents, who gave birth to him and worked day and night to give him a better future. I learned a lot of things from my grandfather. My mother was busy looking after us after the divorce. It was my grandparents who took care of me and taught me what was right and wrong," said Arnav.
"I'm adopted, Arnav," said Theera.
"I don't have any problem with that, Theera. For me, your parents are Subramanyam uncle, and Vineeta aunty. In fact, you are really lucky to have them as your parents," said Arnav.
"That's true. I'm really lucky to have them in my life," said Theera.
Both of them didn't even realise when time flew away. They were talking with each other as if they had known each other for ages. After some time, Arnav realised that it was turning dark.
"Theera, it's getting late. Come, I'll drop you off at your home," said Arnav.
"Where will you stay tonight?" Asked Theera.
"I've booked a room," said Arnav.
"Okay then, first we will go to the hotel and check out. After that, we will go to our home," said Theera.
"It's not necessary, Theera," said Arnav. But he stopped for a while and realised that she had said "our home."
"What did you say?" Arnav asked her.
"I said, our home. It's a yes from my side, Arnav," Theera said, confidently.
"Are you sure?" Arnav asked her.
"Yes, Arnav. You can say about yours after thinking," said Theera.
"It's a yes from my side too, Theera. You don't know how happy I'm. I fell in love with you the moment my mother showed me your picture. I was really eager to meet you, but a part of me was afraid of your answer. What if you didn't like me and rejected me? I'm so happy, Theera," Arnav said, picking her up in his arms and making her shocked.
He realised what he had done and put her down. He muttered a "sorry" while Theera gave him a blushy nervous smile.
"Trust is very important in any relationship. To trust each other, we have to be friends first. So, Miss Theera Subramanyam, will you be my friend?" Arnav asked, holding out his hand.
Theera smiled, listening to his words, and gave her hand to him, making him smile to the fullest.
Both of them first moved to the hotel where Arnav was staying. They took his luggage and checked out. Then they moved to Theera's home.
Theera's family welcomed them with a smile on their faces. They understood that Theera was okay with the proposal by looking at the smile on her face.
"Theera, show him your room," said Subramanyam.
Theera nodded her head and gestured for Arnav to follow her. She showed him her room and grabbed her nightwear.
"You freshen-up. I'll call you when dinner is ready," said Theera.
Theera was about to go out of the room when Arnav called her.
She turned and looked at him and asked, "Do you need anything?"
He moved towards her and said, "You look beautiful in this saree."
She smiled at him and said, "Thank you!"
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After one month,
The bond between Theera and Arnav is slowly blooming, and their families are happy with the growth in their relationship. Arnav's family and Theera's family decided to meet to discuss their wedding. So, Theera and her family are going to Visakhapatnam to meet Arnav's family. Arnav came to the railway station to pick them up.
Yamuna and Rohini (Arnav's grandmother) welcomed Theera's family. Theera got ready in a simple saree, as they would be going to the temple to fix their wedding dates. Theera was sitting with Rohini and Sakuntala when she got a message from Arnav.
Arnav: Come to the balcony.
Theera: Now?
Arnav: Yes! Come soon. I'm waiting.
Theera: Okay!!
Theera excused herself and moved to the balcony. She saw Arnav talking to someone on his mobile.
"Hey!" Theera said, grabbing his attention.
Arnav cut the call and said, "There is a small party at my friend's house in the evening. Will you join me?"
"Sure," said Theera.
"So, Theera, are you okay with everything going on?" Arnav asked her.
"Yes," Theera said with a smile.
"So, tell me how your work is going," Arnav asked her.
"Good," said Theera. "What about yours?"
"Same. I'll be totally busy the next week," said Arnav.
They stood there talking when Yamuna called them. All of them went to the temple, and their marriage was fixed after a month.
It was evening. Theera got ready in a simple kurti and jeans. She came out of the room and saw Arnav waiting for her. They bid bye to their family and moved out.
Arnav and Theera reached his friend's house. They went inside, holding each other's hands. Arnav gave the gifts he bought for his friend and his wife. He then introduced Theera to everyone. Theera sat on the floor along with other girls and looked at Arnav, who was talking with his friends and laughing.
"So, Theera. How did you make that nerd fall in love with you?" asked Raashi (Arnav's friend).
"We met through our parents and liked each other. So, ours is an arranged marriage. Is he really a nerd?" Theera asked, curiously.
"Yeah! Back in our college days, he was totally into books and never paid attention to anything else but books. Many girls in our college used to have a crush on him, and he even got many proposals, but he crushed their hopes. He is a sweetheart and cannot see his loved ones in pain," said Raashi.
Theera gave her a small smile.
"But we never expected that he would choose a girl like you," said another girl, Monica, rudely.
"What do you mean by a girl like me?" Theera asked sternly.
"I thought he would choose a beautiful girl who matched his standards. You see, he is so handsome, smart, charming, and earns pretty well, whereas you don't even match his standards. You are quite boring, and you are a teacher who doesn't even earn much. I'm not sure how he chose you or if he was forced to," Monica said, making a bad face.
"Sorry to say this, but I didn't know that you were this narrow-minded. For your information, he is not a kid to force decisions on him. He is a strong man who is wise enough to make decisions. And he had also seen the broken relationship between his parents. So, he and his family must have thought a thousand times before approaching my family to ask for my hand. Yes, I'm an introverted person, and I don't have a friend circle. But I know how to treat others properly and respect them. I may not be earning as much as he is, but I'm an independent woman who is earning for herself and taking care of her family. I'm doing the work I love. By the way, are you jealous that he chose me over you?" Theera asked with a smirk.
"What?" Monica said, stammering, while others looked at Theera proudly.
"Arnav told me that you proposed to him on his graduation day. He told me that he rejected you because he didn't have any feelings for you except as a friend. He also told me how you spread rumours about him being in a relationship with you. He shared everything with me on the day we met. It would be better if you stopped poking your nose unnecessarily into our lives," Theera said sternly.
The other three girls whistled, making Monica fume.
"Are you laughing when she is insulting your friend?" Monica said, glaring at her friends.
"We were friends, Monica. We aren't on speaking terms with you. In fact, we didn't even remember you until the day you came uninvited to our wedding. We thought that you had changed, but you are like a dog's tail. Even now, you learned about this party from Varun and came here. So, stop making it an issue when you are the one who started it," said Maanvi.
Monica fumed and left from there, making others sigh. They quickly became preoccupied with their discussions.
"Shall we have dinner, girls?" asked Varun.
"Sure," said Priya.
"Where is Monica?" Ashwin asked, looking at his wife, Raashi.
"She left," Raashi said, shrugging her shoulders.
Arnav looked at Theera, who blinked her eyes. After having a hearty meal, both of them started back to their home. Arnav stopped his bike on the side, making her confused.
"Shall we have an ice cream?" Arnav said, pointing at the ice cream stall.
Theera nodded her head, and both of them sat on the shore, enjoying their ice cream and the atmosphere around them.
"Were you a nerd during your college days, Arnav?" Theera asked him.
"Well, to be honest, yes. Me, Ashwin, Varun, and Priya were a gang from the start. And I'm the nerd in my group. Monica joined the group later. It's not like I didn't enjoy my college days; I just gave the most importance to studying. We went on trips, had bunk classes, and sneaked out of the hostel, but we never forgot about our dreams. My mother belongs to an orthodox family where women are not given much importance. They think women must not step out of the house. My maternal grandfather opposed that and sent my mom to school and college. My grandmother brought an alliance for my mother after she completed her graduation. But my mother wasn't ready for that, and she couldn't even oppose it as she promised her mother that she would marry the guy she chose for her if she let her study. My father used to work for a private bank. Everything was fine at first, but after some years, my mother noticed that my father was drifting away from her. He used to come home drunk and manhandle her. Most of the time, my paternal grandparents used to protect her. My mother bore everything for me, though she was in so much pain and was not happy with her life. My Thatha asked my mother to work so that it would help her to divert her mind a little. She worked hard and took some courses before starting the job. And her hard work paid off. She got a job at a pharmaceutical company with a decent salary. My father was not happy with my mother going out and getting a job, and neither was my maternal grandmother. But they couldn't say anything, as both my grandfathers and my Nanamma supported her. When we thought everything was falling into place, my mother caught my father with another woman. Things went pretty badly, and my mother divorced him. My maternal grandfather got a heart attack when he learned about the pain my mother went through all those years. He died because he couldn't take that her daughter's life was spoiled. My maternal grandmother blamed my mother for everything and threw us out of her house. My mother slipped into depression. But my paternal grandparents supported us. They stood with my mother and me. They looked after me when my mother was working hard for us. After seeing all those struggles, I wanted to make them proud and keep them happy. So, I concentrated more on my studies. They were so happy when they came to know that I had gotten a job," said Arnav.
"Didn't he come to see you or his parents at least once in all these years?" Theera asked nervously.
"You do not need to feel nervous, Theera. He doesn't affect me anymore. Yes, I have cried many times in the past when I looked at how fathers were taking care of their children. But now, he means nothing to me. Yes, he came five years ago when he came to know that my grandpa had written all his properties in my name. He was furious that he didn't even give him a single penny. He even threatened my grandparents that he would drag them to court. But my grandfather knew how to deal with his son. I didn't know what happened exactly, as I was in the hostel pursuing my graduation. He never stepped into our house after that day, not even when my grandfather passed away," said Arnav.
Theera held his hand and drew patterns on his palm to calm him down, as he was getting emotional. She side-hugged him and kissed his forehead.
"You are very strong, Arnav. That man doesn't deserve your tears. So stop thinking about that man," said Theera.
"I know, but sometimes I can't help but think about how it would have been if all those things hadn't happened in our lives," said Arnav.
"We can't change our past, Arnav, but we can definitely create beautiful memories in our present and future. Even though I had cried many times thinking about my past, now he doesn't affect me. In fact, I should thank him because I found a brother and sister-in-law and a cute niece and nephew. See, in all these things, Attayya got her parents' love, which she didn't get as a child. I know her father loved her and supported her, but no one can replace the love of a mother, right? Our past makes us either strong or weak. It totally depends on us whether to stand strong and face the world or curse our fate and mourn over the same again and again," said Theera.
"You are right," Arnav said, intertwining their hands.
"Shall we go? Everyone must be waiting for us," said Theera.
Arnav nodded his head and got up.
Theera stood and was about to go when Arnav pulled her into a hug and said, "Thank you," making her surprised.
Soon, both of them headed back to their house.
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After a month:
Theera couldn't control her tears as Arnav tied the sacred yellow thread around her neck, making her his officially and ritually. Veena placed her hand on Theera, trying to calm her down.
Arnav kissed her forehead and said, "Congratulations, Mrs. Theera Arnav Chowdary," making her smile. Both families had a content smile playing on their lips as they looked at them.
Theera gave a full-blown smile and said, "I love you, Mr. Arnav Chowdhary," making his heart flutter with happiness.
They held each other's hands, promising to be with each other through thick and thin.
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Hello guys!!!
Sorry for being super late.
But what to do, this author of yours is stuck with her work.
Anyway, how is the update? Don't forget to share your views in the comments.
One more shot to go to complete this book.
Keep smiling and take care ❤
